Shame On The Hall

Another year has passed, and I'm still not in the LPGA Hall ofFame. For seven years now, I've heard fans call out, "Amy, we'rerooting for you to get your 30th!" But I'm stuck on 29 careerwins, and according to LPGA rules, I need one more to get intothe Hall.

My 29 tour victories include five major championships, but threeof my majors don't help my cause much. Under current rules,players can qualify for the Hall by winning 40 times with nomajors, 35 times with one major, or 30 times with two or more.That means that none of my three extra majors counts for anymore than somebody else's Tuscaloosa Open title. It also meansthat someone could win all four majors for seven years in a rowand still not make the Hall of Fame. Does that make sense?

Don't misunderstand me--I want to win again. At 42, I have morefight in me than ever. However, this quest of mine has gottentiring. After 23 years on tour, I'm starting to think that mybiggest opponent may be the grind of traveling. Still, it'simportant that I get into the Hall. I think I belong there, andI'm not the only one. How the hell can you exclude players likeHollis Stacy, with her three U.S. Open titles and 15 other wins,and Beth Daniel, with her 32 victories? Fans want to seeexcellence rewarded. Right now, though, the Hall has only 14players in it. Is that enough reward to cover the long historyof women's golf?

This is a ball that has taken a very bad bounce. It's time tochange the entrance requirements for our Hall of Fame--not justfor me, but for the good of the sport. By admitting only a smallminority of great players, the LPGA is wasting an opportunity toreward other great golfers and promote our game. CommissionerJim Ritts needs to take a stand, take the blows and stop tryingto make everyone happy.

Before he became the premier postseason performer of his generation, the Patriots icon was a middling college quarterback who invited skepticism, even scorn, from fans and his coaches. That was all—and that was everything